Guidelines & Rules
Supporting Fairness in Bridleless Competition
Welcome to the official guidelines & rules. Here we outline what you need to know for video submission, eligibility, and participation to ensure every horse and rider pair can compete fairly and safely.
Eligibility & Requirements
Rider Eligibility
- Open to riders of all levels
- Competitors under 18 must have parent/guardians permission.
- For competitors under 18, submission of an entry confirms that a parent or legal guardian has provided permission for participation and for any associated media use.
- Riders must wear a properly fitted equestrian riding helmet that complies with a recognised national or international equestrian safety standard appropriate to their country of residence. Examples include PAS015, VG1, EN1384, ASTM F1163, Snell and equivalent recognised standards.
- Appropriate footwear must be worn, this would be a long or short boot with a heel.
- Saddles must be used. English or western saddles are acceptable, other tack must be approved by the Online Bridleless Competitions team prior to entry.
- Riders must comply with competition rules or they will be eliminated and the entry will be forfeit
Equipment Protocols
- Saddles must be used at all times. English or western tack is accepted. If you have other tack it must be approved prior to entry.
- Neck ropes are not compulsory but are advised. Neckropes can be made of soft material or leather. If a neckrope appears to be uncomfortable for the horse or used in a strong manner the judge reserves the right to challenge the use of equipment and forfeit entry.
Welfare
- Horse well-being is vital; any evidence of excessive stress or rough riding will lead to forefeit of entry.
- Online Bridleless Competitions reserves the right to refuse, remove or disqualify entries where behaviour is deemed unsafe, abusive, dishonest, unsporting or contrary to the spirit of the competition.
Horse Requirements
- Horses must be over 4 years of age and competitors must comply with this. If a horse looks like it may be under 4 Online Bridleless Competitions reserves the right to query the horse’ age and proof of age must be provided within 48hrs of request or the competitor will forfeit their entry.
- Horses must be fit and well, including no signs of lameness. Judges reserve the right to query a horse’s health and entry will be forfeit.
Arena Setup
- Standard 20x40 arena or a similar marked out space. Marker letters must be used and as clear as possible on the camera.
- Arena markers must be clearly visible on camera.
- Indoor, outdoor and grass arenas are permitted.
- Cameras must be set up from C and show the horse and rider at all times.
Judging & Conduct
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Good sportsmanship is expected in all community interactions and submissions.
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Rule updates are communicated via the monthly newsletter and our blog.
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Judges' decisions are final but constructive feedback is provided on score sheets. However, administrative errors, incorrect results or technical issues may be queried within 14 days of publication.
Can't submit your test this month?
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We understand that life doesn't always go to plan!
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If you're unable to submit your test, please get in touch with our team via email or social media before the submission deadline for that month's competition.
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We'll be happy to transfer your entry to a future competition, so you won't lose your entry fee.
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Unfortunately, if we don't receive your test or hear from you before the submission deadline, your entry will be marked as a non-submission and your entry fee will be forfeited.
Competition Rules
Video Submission Rules
01.
Proper Camera Placement
Record your test from the judge’s position at/ behind the ‘C’ marker. Ensure the camera is at chest height and well mounted for stability if using a tripod. The horse and rider must be visible at all times.
02.
Technical Video Specs
Videos must be recorded in Landscape (horizontal) mode. Resolution should be at least 1080p for clarity. Edited, altered, AI-generated or digitally manipulated footage is not permitted. Using edited, altered AI-gernerated or digitally manipulated footage will result in forfeit of entry.
03.
Audio & Sound Requirements
You must introduce yourself, your horse and say the test eg: "June walk & trot 2026" before beginning your test.
Original audio must be preserved, do not add background music or voiceovers. We need to hear the natural sound of your footfalls and horse. A caller is allowed but must be clearly audible.
04.
Submission Process
Upload your test video to YouTube, then head to the Submission Zone to submit your test.
Alternatively, you can email your Unlisted YouTube link to hello@onlinebridlelesscompetitions.co.uk. Please include:
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Your name
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Your horse’s name
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The test entered
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Your submission reference number
Competitors are responsible for ensuring that the correct test video and an accessible video link are provided when submitting their entry.
Please check your video and link carefully before submitting. YouTube videos should be set to Unlisted (not Private) or public so that our judging team can access them.
We do not routinely check individual video links as they are received. Links are accessed as part of the judging process once submissions have closed. If the link provided is incorrect, inaccessible, private or links to a test from a previous competition, your entry will not be able to be judged.
Once submissions have closed and judging has begun, videos cannot be replaced or exchanged for another attempt.
Before submitting, please open your link and check that it takes you to the correct video and that the video can be viewed. Submission accuracy is the competitor’s responsibility.
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Media Content
By entering, competitors grant Online Bridleless Competitions permission to use submitted videos, photographs, screenshots and results for promotional, educational and marketing purposes.
One Test Per Video
Each submitted video must contain one complete test only.
Please do not submit videos containing multiple attempts of the same test for the judging team to choose between.
Where a submitted video contains more than one complete attempt, only the first complete test shown in the video will be judged, regardless of whether a later attempt achieves a higher score.
Competitors are responsible for selecting the attempt they wish to submit and ensuring that this is the only test contained within the submitted video.
Once submissions have closed and judging has begun, videos cannot be replaced or exchanged for another attempt.
Health & Safety Disclaimer
By entering a test, competitors acknowledge that riding horses carries an inherent risk of injury, serious harm, or death to both horse and rider.
Participation in any class, whether ridden with a bridle, neck rope, or completely bridleless, is undertaken entirely at the competitor's own risk.
Online Bridleless Competitions accepts no responsibility or liability for any accident, injury, loss, damage, illness, or death suffered by any horse, rider, handler, spectator, or third party arising from participation in our competitions or the training, filming, or submission of competition entries.
Competitors are solely responsible for assessing their own abilities, the suitability and training of their horse, and the safety of any equipment used. Riders should only compete at a level appropriate to their experience and should prioritise the welfare of their horse at all times.
By purchasing an entry, competitors confirm that:
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They understand and accept the risks associated with riding and handling horses.
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They are competent to participate in the class entered.
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Their horse is fit, healthy, and suitable for the activity undertaken.
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They hold appropriate insurance where applicable.
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They accept full responsibility for their own safety and the safety of their horse.
Online Bridleless Competitions reserves the right to refuse, withdraw, or disqualify entries where safety or horse welfare concerns are identified.
Rosettes & Postage Policy
We love sending out your rosettes and celebrating the achievements of our competitors! 🏵️ To help us make sure they reach you safely, please take a moment to read the information below.
Rosette Dispatch
Rosettes will be dispatched within 10 working days of the competition closing. Our monthly competitions close at 11:59pm on the final day of each month.
Once results have been announced and rosettes dispatched, please allow up to two weeks for UK delivery. International competitors should allow additional time for overseas postage and customs.
Missing Rosettes
If your rosette has not arrived within two weeks of results being published, please:
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Double-check the delivery address provided with your entry.
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Check with other members of your household and, where appropriate, neighbours or your local delivery office.
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Contact us to let us know your rosette has not arrived.
Please report any missing rosettes before the end of the month in which the results were published. International competitors will be given additional time to account for longer delivery periods.
Where a rosette appears to have been lost in transit, we will provide one complimentary replacement. Replacement rosettes will be included with our next scheduled rosette dispatch, rather than being posted individually.
Due to the cost of producing and posting replacement rosettes, we are unfortunately unable to provide further complimentary replacements if the replacement shipment also fails to arrive.
Delivery Addresses
Rosettes are posted to the delivery address provided with your competition entry, so please ensure your details are complete and correct when entering.
If your address changes after entering, please contact us before the competition closes so that we can update your delivery information before rosettes are prepared.
Where a rosette has been sent to an incorrect or outdated address supplied with the entry, we cannot guarantee a complimentary replacement and additional postage costs may be payable before the rosette is resent.
We want every well-earned rosette to make it safely to its new home, so if you think something has gone astray, please get in touch within the timescales above and we'll be happy to help.
Join the Next Class
Entries for each month's test close on the 25th of each month. Participation Fee: £14.00 GBP per class. Submissions must be received by 23:30pm on the last day of the month.
We award rosettes to a minimum of 1st–3rd place in every class, with additional placings added as entry numbers increase (one extra rosette for every four entries).
Results and score sheets will be emailed directly to competitors within 10 working days of the competition closing date. Results will also be available on our blog and social media.
Rosettes and any prizes (where applicable) will be posted on the same day that results are released.
Frequently Asked Questions
Need Support?
We're here to help you with technical submission queries, eligibility checks, or rule clarifications. Please reach out via email or connect with us directly.
Competition Fees
Standard entry fees start from £14.00 GBP per class.
